The Bat and the Blood-Red Rose: Asylum
by MajorBrony95
Summary: Through reasons unknown to her, Ruby Rose has been sent to Gotham City. A place of darkness, villainy, and monsters worse then any Grimm in Remnant. Now, if she is to get home, she must join forces with the mysterious Batman to halt the murderous Joker's rampage at Arkham Asylum. And along the way, discover a odd connection between Batman, Joker, Commissioner Gordon- and herself.
1. Chapter 1-A Pleasant Welcome to Gotham

**AN: Hi guys, MajorBrony95 here. I am finally writing my first fanfiction for the site! How cool is that, huh? And for this, I am completing the sequence started by Roach99, then Sai Kuni Blade, and then DiRunner with inserting a member of Team RWBY into the Arkhamverse; Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee, and now... RUBY ROSE herself!**

 **I would first like to thank these guys on for being so understanding and supportive of me in my quest to create my first fic. They and others of the** _ **Arkham/RWBY**_ **fandom are so awesome and I can't wait to see how their and other fics will turn out. Second, to Monty Oum himself, who passed away the first of this month, three years ago. Thank you so much, man and we hope you're enjoying** _ **RWBY**_ **from Heaven. Finally, to Bob Kane and Bill Finger, who without them, nothing** _ **Batman**_ **would even exist; especially the Arkhamverse. You guys rock!**

 **Now, as is needed, I do not own** _ **RWBY**_ **or** _ **Batman: Arkham Asylum**_ **or any other games in the universe. They belong to Monty and Rooster Teeth and Bob and Bill, DC, Warner Bros., and Rocksteady Games.**

 **In case you're wondering, this story takes place between the finale of Volume 2 and the beginning of Volume 3. So, Ruby is still 15 here.**

 **So, without further ado, please enjoy the fist in what I hope to be a series of great stories;** _ **The Bat and the Blood-Red Rose: Asylum**_ **(and please, no flames.)**

Chapter 1- A "Pleasant" Welcome to Gotham City

Someone was shaking her.

"Hey," a voice said. "Hey, kid? You alive or somthin'?"

A groan escaped her. "Go away, Yang! Class doesn't start yet."

"Oh good," the voice said. "I would've felt bad about stealin' from someone who wasn't dead already."

At those words, Ruby Rose suddenly realized something; that voice didn't sound like her sister's at all. In fact, it almost sounded like Uncle Qrow's, except much gruffer. And she also felt cold a little like she was outside. She sat up, groaning a bit and then she heard the sounds around her; car horns, people talking, horrible smells. It was like... she was outside in a city. Vale maybe? No; Vale didn't smell _this_ bad.

As she got up groaning and looked around, she saw she was in a dingy alleyway, lit only by the lights of buildings near the entryway. She then saw that the only other person there was a scruffy old man wearing clothes, gloves, a hat and a coat so dirty, tattered and full of holes that Wiess would scream at the sight and faint. He had a long white beard and despite his looks, had friendly-looking eyes.

The man took a swig of a bottle of what Ruby assumed from the smell and liquid in it was alcohol and then flashed a grin of yellowed teeth.

"Say kid, you wouldn't happen to be interested in selling that nice lookin' hood you're wearin', would ya? I don't have much, but...

Ruby then looked down at her cape, finally starting to shake off the grogginess.

"Huh? Oh, uh, n-no thanks. I couldn't sell this. It was a gift from my mom. She made it for me as a future birthday gift before she...," she paused, thinking of Summer. "Anyway mister, sorry, but no."

The man nodded, "Family importance. I get ya. Just thought I'd ask." He took another swig and then looked at Ruby curiously. "Say kid, you goin' to some kinda fantasy costume convention or somthin'? You look like you stepped right outta 'Little Red Riding Hood.'"

"Huh? What's that? Is that some sort of story," Ruby asked.

"What kid your age doesn't know 'Little Red?' You sure you're okay, kid? You seem a little out of it," the man said, sounding confused and a little worried.

"I'm fine. Really," Ruby said as she got up to her feet and brushed herself off. "Say, mister. You wouldn't happen to know where I am?"

"You kiddin' me? You honestly don't know?" At an apologetic shrug from the girl in red, the man sighed and chuckled. "My dear Little Red, you are in the forest your mama told you not to wonder off the path into. This here fine place is Gotham City; otherwise known as the Hell Satan sends those even he doesn't want in _his_ Hell. And believe me; the wolves here are the stuff of nightmares."

Ruby didn't know if the man was being serious with that last statement or not or if he was talking about Beowolves, but thought little of it for now. "Oooookay. Um, you havn't heard of a place called 'Beacon Academy,' have you? Or maybe 'Vale.'

The man scratched his beard in thought. "I've heard of Vale, Oregon, but I get the feeling you don't mean that. And I never heard of a 'Beacon Academy.' Sorry, kid."

Ruby felt a little worried at those words (did this mean she wasn't even in Remnent anymore?), but tried to contain it. "Well, thanks anyway. I suppose I better get going." She then checked herself out to see if she had everything. She had her Scroll, extra Dust cartrages, wallet, but...

"Wait. Where's Crescent Rose!?"

"Who?"

""My... well, when you saw me, you didn't happen to pick up any red machinery anywhere, did you?"

"Can't say I did."

Now Ruby was starting to panic as she raced around the alley, looking under trash cans, in crates, and even lifted up a cat to see if it was sleeping on it, "Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh..."

"Hey kid, calm down, will ya. Is that what you're lookin' for?" The man then pointed to an area by the entryway Ruby hadn't checked. It was Crescent Rose's condensed form. Ruby swooped in, and plucked it up, cradling it like it was a baby.

"Oh thank goodness! I thought I'd lost you!" She then noticed the man looking at her oddly and chuckled sheepishly. "Eh heh heh. Sorry."

"No need," the man said, dismissively, "but what exactly is that thing, anyway?"

"Well," Ruby said, pushing the switch to unfurl the scythe form of her weapon. The man, who had been taking a sip of his bottle, promptly spit out the contents as he gaped at the thing in front of him.

"What in the HELL is that thing!?"

"This is Crescent Rose; a High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe, or HCSS for short. Capable of firing dust projectiles at least 170 mph, fired from a medium-length, bolt-action rifle and also able to transform into the scythe you see here."

The man sat in shock. "My God. Where on Earth did you get THAT?"

Ah. So "Earth" was the name of where she was. Then she realized the man's question. "Oh, uh, well...I kinda made it. By myself. Well, my Uncle Qrow helped a bit, but..."

"Wait a frickin' minute! You MADE that thing yourself!?" The man looked at her in amazement. "Good gosh. If you showed that to Bruce Wayne, he'd probably draft ya ta work for WayneTech now, child labor laws, be damned. Color me impressed, kid. What are ya? Some prodigy or somthin'?"

Ruby blushed slightly, "Well, I wouldn't call myself that, but I _am_ pretty good with weapons."

"Well, you may need that thing with the gangs that roam around Gotham at this time of night, one bad one in particular, the Dracos" the man said, taking one more swig of his bottle. "Damn. Empty. You wouldn't happen to have any cash on ya, would ya?"

Ruby just shook her head, "I don't think the money I have would be any good here, anyway." She looked around and shrugged. "Well, I should probably get going now."

The nodded his head in acknowledgement, "Okay, kid,. But you be careful, ya here? You don't know what..."

Just then, Ruby jumped onto a fire escape, leaving behind a trail of rose petals as she zoomed up to the roofs of the buildings and left with a _swish_ of her cape. The man stared at the sight, then just smiled and shook his head, chuckling.

"On second thought, maybe THEY should watch out for HER."

Ruby ran atop the rooftops, looking around this strange place she was in. It seemed a lot like Vale, except... it wasn't. As far as she could tell, there were no Faunus, no shops for Dust and weapons. It was much noisier and brighter than downtown Vale and on top of that, it seemed like a worse place to be at night. Even when scum like Torchwick had been roaming the streets, Vale still seemed safer than "Gotham." Now... she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but this place seemed like the type of city where you could feel safer in a dark alley rather than a lit street. Even then, not by much

She stopped for a breather, looking up at the night sky at the moon. The moon. That was the indication that she really wasn't in Remnant anymore; this moon was whole. At this one-hundred percent realization, Ruby started feeling more uncomfortable.

Did her team even realize where she was? Yang? Wiess? Blake? What about Team JNPR? Or Team SSSN with Sun and Neptune. Penny Polendina, her robot friend. Even Team CFVY, with whom they had become slightly more friendlier with after the Breach, her with Velvet Scarletina in particular. Did ANY of them know where she was? Were they going crazy trying to find her? How was she to get home in time for the Vytal Tournament? If there even WAS a way, anyway. She couldn't even remember how she got here. A dust accident? Magic? Who knew? She sure didn't. All she could remember was some flash of white light and flash of red or something like that.

As if sensing her despair, the sky began to cloud over, covering the moon with a cloud and she heard the distant rumble of thunder. Perfect. Caught in a strange new world in the rain. How could this get any worse?

"No! Please, no! Don't! Leave me alone!"

Ruby suddenly heard what sounded like someone scared. Perhaps this person needed help. But should she? This wasn't her world. Let the police handle it. She needed to focus on finding a way home.

"Help! Help!"

Well, then again, as a Huntress, she was supposed to help everyone in need. And who knew how long it would take the police to get there?

Ruby sighed, "Oh, what the heck. I need some stress let out, anyway. Might as well do it while busting some bad guys."

With that, she sped off in the direction of the voice, unknowing that above her, a strange light was shining; almost like a spotlight with a symbol of a bat on it.

"Please. Please, I'm begging you. I don't have any cash on me."

"You should've remembered that before you crossed in to Draco territory, man. Them's the rules; enter our turf, pay a toll."

The three young men were in an alley, standing over a man a bit older than them. He was sitting against the wall, surrounded by papers from an open briefcase, shaking and petrified with fear as the three surrounded him, grinning in a seeming friendly fashion, but behind them, burned eyes of anger and an eagerness to cause some pain.

"Look," one man with a gold tooth, said, "We don't know what to tell ya, dude. Around here you need the cash to pay the toll or something very messy could happen."

"Yeah, REAL messy, _hombre_ ," another man with a Spanish accent said, eagerly twirling the knife he held with seemingly thinning patience.

"Please," the victim said, sobbing a little, "I told you, I didn't MEAN to pass through. My car is the other side of the alley. I heard the thunder and I didn't want to get caught in the rain, so I..."

"So you thought you'd take a shortcut through here. Izzat right?" This was asked by the last man, a Black man wearing a leather jacket and who seemed to be the leader. He sighed, "Look. You think we want this to get messy? We don't."

"Says you."

Shut the fuck up, Sanchez," Jacket sneered to Knife (Sanchez). He then turned to the victim, a smooth smile on his face, "Look, if you don't have cash, we can always trade ya for somthin' else."

"But I told you. I DON'T have anything! I didn't think to bring money with me tonight. What could I have on me you could want?"

"Well," Gold Tooth said, "how 'bout that nifty little ring on your finger, huh? What do you think, Skids?"

Jacket (Skids) looked at the gold band the man had on his finger a second and nodded. "Yeah, Evens. I think that would do JUST fine. Should be worth a good two grand, right? More than enough."

The man looked down at his left hand and, if possible, grew paler. "No, no please. This-this is my wedding ring. Y-you can't..."

Gold Tooth (Evens) heaved the man to his feet and held out the hand with the ring to Sanchez, who grinned wickedly, getting the message. However, he looked to Skids for confirmation, and by the look on Skids' face, he was getting impatient and may well yet give it to Sanchez.

"Look, man. Give up that ring by yourself and we'll let ya through. 'M sure wifey'll understand. If not, well... we'll take it anyway- with a little extra attached. Hell, loads of folks go through life with nine fingers; my cousin's one o' 'em."

"Say the word, Skids. _Por favor_ , say the word."

"I'll give ya three, man, before I let Sanchez have at ya. One..."

"No, no."

"Two!"

"Please! Please God, no!"

"Three!"

"BATMAN! Please save me!"

"He's busy with other stuff. Take it, Sanchez!"

As Sanchez raised his knife to bring it down, something slammed into him. Hard. He flew through the air and landed in a pile of trash cans dazed.

"Holy shit!"

"What the frickin'...!"

The victim took this confusion as a chance to escape before the others should stop him. Skids looked around angrily for the culprit (who had seemed to have disappeared) as Evens helped Sanchez up.

"Where are you!? You know what you just did!? You fucked with the Dracos, man! Come on, and show your face!"

"Look," Evens said, pointing to the ground. Down on the ground around where Sanchez had been hit were red rose petals. "You think it could be that Ivy bitch?"

"Nah, she's still in Arkham, what I hear," Skids dismissed. He then looked around again, trying to find the mystery assailant. "Come out and face us!"

"If you insist," a voice, sounding very much like a teenage girl, said. The three Dracos turned and there, in the middle of the alley, there was a girl wearing a red hood. She pulled it down and glared at them with silver eyes.

At seeing her, the three stared at her for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"You're kiddin'. You're kiddin', right? A kid like you, responsible? HA! Oh, that's rich."

"Yeah," laughed Evens, "That's a riot."

"Would you look at that, it's _Caperucita Roja_ , Little Red Riding Hood," chuckled Sanchez in a mocking tone. "What, you goin' to some 'Fantasy Con' or somthin' like that shit?"

Ruby simply stared at them with a dry look on her face. She was used to this by now from people who first met her. Right before she kicked their butts from here to Atlas.

Once they stopped laughing, the Dracos then smirked. Skids stepped forward.

"Listen kid, if you really did do that, then you made a big mistake. AND you're in our territory. So I think you should pay double for that."

"I can think of one way," said Evens, licking his lips and eying Ruby over in a way that made her feel dirty and angry. She had seen some guys look at Yang like that just before she punched their teeth in.

"So," Sanchez said, grinning and twirling his knife as he and his compatriots inched forward, "what'll it be, _Caperucita Roja_?"

"I say," Ruby said, tossing her hood back and grabbing Crescent Rose from behind her back, "THIS!" And with a flourish, she started to unsheathe the scythe. The men, seeing the weapon suddenly appear in front of them, jumped back in shock and fright.

"HOLY SHIT! Wh-what the fuck is that!?"

" _Jesús Fuking Cristo_!"

"Will you both shut the hell up!? It's-it's just some sort of prop! Sanchez is right. She's probably just goin' to some LARP thing and decided to play the hero. That thing's probably not even sharp."

"Wanna bet," Ruby asked. At that, she swung the blade and sliced a nearby garbage can in two. The men stared at what they had seen and, quite frankly, freaked.

"Man, forget this," Sanchez shouted, "I'm gettin' the hell out of here!"

"Me too," Evens said.

Suddenly, Ruby zoomed in front of them in a flurry of rose petals, cape blowing and scythe at the ready. "Aww. But the party's just getting started," she said with a smirk and a mock friendly tone. She then zipped out and kneed Evens in the gut, knocking his wind out. The gold-toothed jerk fell to his knees clutching his gut. She then swung Crescent Rose's handle, hitting his chin with the blunt end with a resounding CLANG of a breaking jaw and sending him a couple feet to lie on his back, out cold. _Guess I did learn some things from Yang when she was teaching me_ , Ruby thought. However, in her thoughts, Sanchez swung his knife at her.

" _Perra,"_ he swore as he attempted to slash her.His knife succeeded in scratching her arm. "Ha," he laughed. Then was shocked as the scratch on her clothes as well as the cut she got suddenly healed instantly in a flash of red aura. " _Que-_?" He was silenced by a swift elbow to his nose that caused him to stumble. He kept swearing in Spanish while holding nose that was gushing with blood. A blur of red slammed into him, sending him into a wall where he landed on a pile of trash cans, unconscious. Ruby then turned to a wide-eyed Skids.

"And then there was one," she quipped. Yang would have been proud of her quips in this fight. She then swung her blade at the ground and kicked up dust in the criminal's face, blocking his sight and causing him to cough. He looked around frantically for his opponent.

"You're fast like the Flash. You're indestructible like Superman. You got a big-ass scythe. Just who... WHAT the Hell are you?"

"I'm Ruby Rose." He turned around only to stare into the barrel of Crescent Rose's sniper rifle. "And you, are going to sleep."

"Aw Fu-!"

His curse was ended by a fire Dust round to the face that exploded and sent him flying and landing in a pile of garbage. Skids, lying on the bags, lifted his head (which was ash-covered in the face, smoking and had copious amounts of front and eyebrow hairs missing) looking at Ruby with a look of pure hatred before plopping it down with a groan. Ruby reformed the storage mode and reattached it to her belt.

"Not bad if I say so myself," Ruby said smugly, surveying the beaten down criminals. At that moment, the rain started to pour. "Great," she grumbled. "Just my luck." Suddenly, she heard what sounded like sirens. That at least was enough to perk her up. Hopefully, the police here would be a little more grateful for having bad guys beaten up for them than Professor Goodwitch had been when Ruby had battled Torchwick the first time.

A trio of police cars- sirens wailing and lights blazing- suddenly pulled in front of the alley, as well as an ambulance. Probably for the best with that, since the men _were_ pretty bashed up. Two policemen got out of one of the cars, as well as a rather overweight man wearing a blue trench coat and fedora with a particularly deep frown. Her looked like one of the old-time detectives in Blake's mystery novels. Ruby walked over to them, feeling proud.

"Don't worry, officers. They're all yours. I just-"

Without warning, the police and the trench coat man pulled guns out and aimed them at her, "Put your hands behind your head, kid! Now!"

"Huh? Wait I-I'm one of the good guys. I just-"

"I said. Hands! Behind! The head!"

Ruby, not wanting to cause a problem, quickly complied. Trench coat then ran over and grabbed her hands, cuffing them.

 _Then again_ , Ruby thought miserably, _maybe history's doomed to repeat itself._

A minute or two later, Ruby was sitting in the back of a police car as officers and paramedics filled the alley in the rain. The paramedics put the three battered and bruised crooks on stretchers and led them to the ambulance, a few officers in toe. Obviously, they were going to get them checked out before they threw the book at them. Meanwhile, Ruby was talking with the trench coated man who apparently was named "Det. Harvey Bullock," and his attitude could have made Weiss when Ruby first met her seem like Penny by comparison. At this moment he was holding Crescent Rose in his hands, making Ruby sick. This man didn't know what he was holding and he could very well hurt himself. Or worse, damage her baby.

"I get a call about a disturbance in an alley right when that crazy clown is attacking city hall and what do I find? A trio of knocked out crooks and a kid who looks like she walked right out of "Grimm's Fairy Tales."

"Grimm!? Where!?" Ruby looked around frantically, looking for a Beowolf or Ursa.

"Hey cool it kid. I'll ask the questions. First of all, what's your name?"

"Ruby Rose."

Bullock looked at her dryly. "Uh-huh. Sure. Your REAL name, kid."

"That's it. I swear. My name is ruby Rose. I'm a student at the Beacon Huntman Academy in Vale."

Bullock stared for a second and then rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Great. Another one." He then sighed and looked at her again. "Alright, so you're from 'Vale,' eh? Don't sound like you're from Oregon."

"That's the second time I've heard that," Ruby sighed. "Look, I don't know where that is, but its not-"

"Okay, never mind. Next topic." Bullock then held up Crescent Rose rather roughly. Ruby winced. "What in God's name is THIS?"

"That's Crescent Rose. It's a High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe. She's capable of firing Dust at at least 170 mph, from a medium-length, bolt-action rifle. She can also able to turn into a scythe."

Bullock gave Cresent Rose a look over and a shake. "This thing is some kind of weapon? What are you doin' with it then?"

"Please don't shake it," Ruby begged, "I worked hard to make it. You could damage it. Look, I have a license for it, just not on me right now. It's back at my dorm."

The Detective stopped and looked at her funny. "You made this? You? Don't make me laugh, kid. This thing looks years ahead of anything we got; scientific, military, or otherwise."

"It's true. I-" Suddenly, Bullock pushed the button to unlock "Rifle Mode." "No, stop!"

Immediately, Bullock dropped the weapon in shock. Unfortunately, the dropping set off the trigger, firing a Dust round and scattering officers in the alley. The blast of Fire Dust thankfully hit a nearby dumpster. Bad news, it exploded. The dumpster was soon ablaze that the rain was putting out, but the damage had already been done.

 _Perfect_ , Ruby thought miserably. _Not only did that guy_ manhandle _Crescent Rose, but that incident has probably ruined any chance I have at getting them to trust me_.

As if reading her mind, Bullock got up from where he'd fallen in shock and whirled angrily at Ruby. He pulled her out of the back of the car by her hood clasp and held her to his face'

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?" he bellowed. "You tryin' to get me killed, kid!? What kind of crap is this!?"

"I-I-I told you to be careful," Ruby tried to say, but Bullock wasn't in a listening mood.

"What was that? Some kinda new experimental ammo or somethin'? Military grade? Sure looks like it to me."

"It's Fire Dust. Really volatile. Trust me, I know," she said thinking back to when she first met Weiss. Not pretty.

"Fire _what_!? You know what? Never mind! I'm callin' this in! The Commish is gonna wanna know about _you_ , kid." He walked to the front of the car and pulled out a phone. He pushed a button and listened as it rang.

"Um, could you please pick up Cresent Rose at least," Ruby asked meekly.

"Shaddap," Bullock snapped. "You, don't talk. I gotta good mind to... Hello? Jim? It's Bullock... Yeah, I know... I know you got yer hands full, Gordon, but listen. You know that disturbance on Finger and Kane you told me and the guys to look into? Yeah, the one with the scuffle and the gunshots. Well, I found out what made 'em and you're never gonna believe it. Apparently, some kid got into a fight with some Dracos... Yeah, Dracos. Nah, the kid's fine, Jim; it's the other guys you should see. Ho boy. She banged 'em up good. Ambulance was definitely needed. Yeah, that's what I said, a SHE. Used some kinda military grade weapon, some sorta sniper rifle. I... accidentally fired it off... Look! How was I supposed to know what would happen!? I didn't LOOK like a rifle, buttons all over. No, no one got hurt, thank God, but a dumpster's toast. That's right, toast! Blast from the thing burst it inta flames. The rain put it out, but you shoulda seen it, Jim."

Bullock looked at Ruby with a scathing look as she looked down. He then went back to talking to this "Jim," or "Gordon," or whoever. "Describe her? Uh, I'd say about 14 or so-"

"I'm 15," Ruby interrupted, slightly insulted.

"Quiet, you," he snapped, then went back to the phone. "Sorry, Jim. She's _fifteen_ ," he said glaring at Ruby, who stuck her tongue out. Bullock shook his fist for a moment. "She's about five foot, eight, nine maybe. Short hair, black with red tips. And her eyes, get this, they're silver. Yeah, silver. Never seen anything like it before. Violet maybe once, sure, but never silver." He paused, listening to the man on the other end talk. His face then looked confused. "Is she wearin' a cape and hood? Yeah, looks like somethin' from "Little Red." You know, the fairy tale my ma used to read to me when I was a kid. 'My, what big eyes you got, Granny.' Yeah like that... The color? Red. Blood red... The weapon? She called it... uh... 'Crescent' somethin'. Said it could turn into a scythe too... Her name? Apparently Ruby. Ruby Rose. Jim, why all these questions? You sound like you know her. Jim?"

He paused for a bit, face looking a bit more worried. Obviously, "Gordon" had stopped talking. "Hello? Jim? You still there, buddy?" Bullock was quiet for a few minutes, and then he spoke up, sounding shocked. "ARKHAM!? You want me to take her to Arkham!? Look, Jim, she told me a pretty nutty story, I don't think that… okay, okay. If you and him are gonna be there, I guess that'll be ok. But you make sure that she'll be safe. I don't feel right takin her to that place, as old as she is. Seriously though, Jimbo: _Do_ you know her? Not sure? Alright. Alright. Is he there yet? Just got there? Oh, thank God. Listen, you'll probably get there before I do, so I'll see you back at the station. Uh-huh. Okay, Gordon. Bye."

Bullock then shut off the phone and went to go talk to the other officers. After a few minutes, he came back to the car. "Alright, kid, you and I are goin' on a little trip to meet some pals of mine, one of whom might be able to help you out."

"Am I gonna like this trip," Ruby asked tentatively.

"Not sure, really."

Ruby wasn't sure if she liked that, but Bullock had said that this person might be able to help her. It was worth a shot. "Well…could you at least put Crescent Rose in the trunk?"

"What? You want me to put that- that thing in my car where it could go off?"

"Just push the button you pushed before and it will go back to 'Storage Mode.'"

Bullock gave her a scrutinizing gaze for a second, but then sighed and tentatively picked it up and pushed the button. He jumped a little as it changed, then just shook his head. "This town just gets weirder and weirder." After putting it in the trunk, he walked up front closed the doors and started the car "Alright. We'll be takin' a shortcut. So, hold on kid. And buckle up."

As Ruby buckled up, she sighed and one thought ran through her mind:

 _What have I gotten myself into?_


	2. Chapter 2-Send in the Clown

**AN: Hi guys, MajorBrony95 here. Sorry it took sooooo long for me to get these out. I think you'll really like this chapter. Ruby finally meets Batman, Joker and Gordon. This is where it gets more into canon territory.**

 **The reason I was so lte was mainly due to the fact that I recently had my 23** **rd** **birthday on Tuesday and I was having a great time. They even had fireworks a night early so as to give people a chance to truly relax on Independence Day. Also, yesterday being a holiday shook some things up. However I was able to get quite a lot done. As I said, I hope you guys find it worth waiting for.**

 **Again, I do not own RWBY or Batman: Arkham Asylum. They are properties of Monty and Rooster Teeth and Bob Kane and Bill Finger, DC, Warner Bros., and Rocksteady Games. And also, no flames, please.**

Chapter 2- Send in the Clown

It was official: if there were gods that existed, they'd be laughing their hiney's off right about now.

Ruby was sitting in the back of the police car in uncomfortable silence as Detective Bullock drove through the city. The rain was coming down harder now and the wipers on the car were going full power. Ruby was feeling many things at that moment; scared, frightened, confused, angry, not to mention bored. Bullock hadn't really said anything since they had started driving. Once in a while though, she caught him looking at her scrutinizingly in the rearview mirror, almost as if her analyzing her for threat possibilities. Any time she caught him, he just looked back at the road and Ruby looked out the window, despite it being covered in rainwater.

As Ruby looked out the window after catching Bullock's eye a third time in the last five minutes or so, the detective finally spoke up in a slightly tired voice. "Listen, kid. I know you seen me lookin' atcha. Believe me; I ain't some creepo who peeps at kids for fun. I remember talkn' to my pal, the Commish, and he acted like he knew you from the questions he was askin'. Now that he mentions it you kinda look familiar ta _me_. You sure you haven't met a guy named 'Gordon' before?"

Ruby shook her head. "I'm sorry, but no. I honestly haven't met anyone here in Gotham except for an old homeless man and those three Dracos I put in the hospital."

Bullock shrugged. "If you insist, kid. But I swear, you remind me of someone I met a few years back before Gordon became commissioner. Ah well, maybe I'm just getting' senile. The years I've been workin' in Gotham, I'm surprised my brain ain't mush already."

They then lapsed into silence for a short bit, then Ruby suddenly noticed something; they seemed to be moving _away_ from the city and onto a road lined with trees. They then passed a green and white road sign with an arrow pointing straight ahead. The sign said simply said, "Arkham." There was also another sign underneath that. Though she didn't get too good a look at it, she swore it said something like, "Hitchhikers may be escaping patients." Upon seeing that, Ruby stiffened slightly. _"'Patients'? What does_ that _mean?! Where is he taking me?"_

Bullock must have noticed Ruby's uncomfortable look because he asked, "Hey, kid, uh, you alright?"

Ruby quickly looked to him in the rearview. "Oh, I, um, I-I'm ok. But, I was just wondering something; where exactly are you taking me?"

Bullock looked at her in the mirror, noticing her nervous face. He also looked a bit nervous as if he didn't want to answer her. "Um, yeah, well. It-it's, uh, well, it's like a hospital for… people who have mental issues."

"Wait," Ruby started, looking shocked as if she had just realized what he meant. "You- you mean like an-an asylum or something!?"

"Uh, yeah, basically." Bullock suddenly realized that he'd said the wrong thing when she started freaking out.

"But I'm not nuts! I swear! I mean, I know that my story sounds insane, but I swear I'm NOT crazy!"

"Hey, hey, kid, kid. Easy, will ya? Look, I'm not gonna commit ya or nothing like that. I'm just takin' you to the place because that's where the commissioner wants ya. It's also where he's meetin' our pal who might be able to help ya out."

Ruby calmed down a little at hearing that. "Oh. Ok then." She was quiet for a few seconds then asked, "So. Who's this person who might be able to help me?"

"Let's just say kid, he's like nothin' you've probably seen before," Bullock said with a chuckle. He then looked out the front and frowned. "Well, here's another little welcome for ya, kid. Look ahead. We're here."

Ruby did look and was shocked at what she saw. Up ahead from the trees lining the road were four tall statues sculpted that looked like hooded figures. All four were holding lanterns with lights in them, two ahead in hands from arms crossed in front of their chests and the back two holding their lanterns in front with their other hands resting on shields with swords like Jaune's on them. The figures were standing in front of a wrought iron gate and fence that was taller than them and above the gate was an entry sign that said "Arkham Asylum."

As they drove by the statues, Ruby happened to look at the ones on her side of the car. Lightening flashed and illuminated the face of the figure underneath; a flat face of granite that had a hint of sadness to it. Its stare seemed to penetrate her soul as she stared.

Up ahead was an even more tremendous sight. A large facility that looked like Beacon if someone meshed it together with a huge mansion loomed in front of the police car. It was brown, black and grey in color; not very cheery. There was also a giant Gothic clock tower jutting out from the middle of the building, another smaller one a bit away and what even appeared to be a garden in the back. Still, the building looked very scary; almost like it was about to come to life and eat her like a Grimm. She also noticed numerous armored guards walking by windows and on turrets outside, riffles along their shoulders. Ruby shivered a little. There was something more about this place. The minute they pulled up to the structure it was as if all of Ruby's hope dipped a vast amount. All the guards weren't helping matters like they should; why would a simple asylum need so many guards with powerful-looking guns? She knew this for sure; the Grimm could THRIVE on this island with how much sorrow and hope could be felt in the air.

"Just lookin' at this eyesore makes you feel like alla the hope's drained outa ya, huh kid," Bullock stated as he parked.

"Kind of," Ruby said, looking out the window at the large building in front of them. They were parked in front of huge metal doors.

"Yeah, that's the way it is for a lotta folks." Bullock then got out as Ruby followed him, putting up her hood in order to keep her dry. He then got went around and got Crescent Rose out of the trunk. "Now understand, kid. I'm not gonna give this to ya until my friend who'll be here soon takes a good look at it. He's an expert at stuff like this."

Ruby sighed, but nodded. Evidently, he still didn't trust her with the scythe/gun combo. But then again after his experience it was sort of understandable. She then turned to him. "By the way," she said, you've never told me who this 'friend' of yours and the Commissioner's is." The two then started to walk towards the doors.

"Well he's kinda a… vigilante. He runs around, kick bad guy ass, and then puts 'em in here. Especially with criminals Gotham has to offer."

"What's that mean," Ruby asked, "like the Dracos I faced before?"

"HA," scoffed Bullock. Let me tell you, kid. The folks here make the Dracos look like pansies. Esspecially the guy our buddy's bringing in. He escaped not too long ago and caused a hellova lot of chaos. I'm just glad he's caught and goin' back where he belongs. Though if I had my way, he'd where he'd belong would be Hell."

Bullock muttered this last part but Ruby heard him and was shocked at what he said. Ruby wondered who these people could be; especially this person who'd escaped from Arkham. As they reached the door, Bullock pressed a button on the side of the door.

" _Identification please,"_ a voice said. Ruby suspected it was someone watching through a camera or something.

"Detective Harvey Bullock of the Gotham City Police Department," the detective said, "as well as someone to see the Commissioner."

" _Very well, I'll let you in."_

A sudden shifting of metal and gears and the doors opened. Good thing to, as the rain and thunder were coming more frequently.

They entered a long hallway which had guards along the sides. The number of guards again unnerved Ruby. At the end of the hall, there stood two men. One standing to the side was a muscular man in a guardsman uniform without a helmet (possibly a higher up) with a crew cut and a scar over his left eye much like Weiss, except whatever gave him this scar had rendered him blind in that one. Ruby also noticed quite subtly that she could smell alcohol coming from him (she was skilled at smelling it even if it was a little bit due to her uncle.) Unlike Qrow however, she wasn't too sure if this guy had a good heart underneath. Something about him made her nervous.

The second man was rather the opposite of the first. He was a short, rather aged looking man wearing a bald head, dark suit, wore horn rimmed glasses and carried a cane with what looked like a stylized top of a large "A" on top. On his suit, he wore a red rose. Ruby assumed this would make him likable to her (after all, she loved roses and so had her mother, Summer,) but one look at the frown on his face made her think otherwise; to her, he looked like a much older and male Glynda Goodwitch. He actually radiated a combination of the airs that Glynda often gave off and that Weiss had before she mellowed out slightly…somewhat; an air that said he was not to be trifled with and that he thought he was better than everyone here (in that order).

Behind them was some sort of stretcher that looked like it had straps. _Must be for the patient when he gets here,_ Ruby thought. The older man walked forward and shook Bullock's hand "Detective Bullock."

"Warden Sharp," Harvey said nodding. He then fixed the guard with a slight glare. "Boles."

"Bullock," grunted the guard, fixing Ruby's companion with an equally hard stare with was magnetized by his blind eye.

"Still drinkin' on the job? I can smell the stench from here."

"Still smokin' those smelly cigars? I could say the same."

"Boles! That's enough," the man identified as "Warden Sharp" snapped. "We will discuss your little 'habit' later." He then turned and saw Ruby. "I take it this is the person the Commissioner wanted to see?" Ruby slunk back a little. "Come now, my dear. Don't be shy," the man said trying to give her an encouraging smile. "You'll be alright. I just want get a look at you." Ruby slightly moved forward and removed her hood.

Boles looked incredulous. "This is the person Gordon wanted ta see so bad?"

"No joke," Bullock said, nodding. "She handed some Dracos their asses just tonight when we found her."

"Dracos," Boles asked, his eyebrows raised. "Damn."

Sharp also looked surprised. "That's…quite the feat. Especially for one so young"

"Um, thanks," Ruby said slightly embarrassed, "but I'm actually not that young. I'm 15." Though no one seemed to hear her.

"She also had this," Bullock said, holding out Crescent Rose. Upon seeing it both Boles and Sharp looked shocked. "Izzat a gun," Boles asked.

"Kinda, sorta," Ruby said. "It's also a scythe." At that, the two looked at her as if she were nuts.

"Aaaanywho," Bullock said, trying to defuse the confusion before it got worse or more confusing, "Gordon's down in P.H. already, right? Think you could bring this to him?"

"I suppose so. McNiel?" At Sharp's command, one of the guards walked forward. "Bring this to Commissioner Gordon down in Patient Handover. Be careful with it. It's apparently a weapon." The guard nodded and then left through the doors as they opened, carefully holding Crescent Rose. Inwardly, Ruby groaned. This was the longest she'd been away from her baby in a while. As the door closed, Bullock's cell rang. As he went to answer it, Ruby found herself with the two men. The warden then stepped forward.

"Well. Perhaps we should introduce ourselves properly, I am Warden Quincy Sharp. This is Officer Frank Boles."

"Um, hi. I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"A very nice name; very alliterative if I say so."

Ruby wasn't sure if he meant it or if he was trying to butter her up by being friendly. She answered anyway. "Thanks."

Just then Bullock came over. "Just got word from Montoya of a possible deal goin' down between some of Penguin's goons. I gotta head out."

Ruby wondered who "Penguin" was-such a strange name; what did it even mean- before she realized what he'd just said. "Wait, you mean you're gonna leave me!?" She didn't like the idea of being here by herself. Bullock must have sensed that because he walked over and put a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ruby. I have it on good authority that our friend is on his way over. He'll be here soon."

"By friend, Detective, do you mean Batman," asked Warden Sharp.

' _Batman?' What kind of name is 'Batman,'_ Ruby thought. Then, she realized, _He must be the vigilante Bullock told me about._

"Yep. And you said the Commish is already down in Patient Handover, so you just have to wait a few minutes until Bats gets here with Joker."

"Joker," Ruby asked, "is that the guy who you said escaped Arkham? What sort of person calls themselves 'Joker?' That sounds like someone who's a funny comedian."

"Yeah, and the punchline's always are dead bodies," Boles muttered darkly. Ruby realized that Bullock had said something similar back at the car. Just how bad was this Joker?

"Believe me. He's no comedian unless you find killing countless people "funny," Bullock said with a frown. "He's one of the most dangerous people to ever walk the Earth, maybe even _the_ most. Not to worry though. With Batman around, I'm sure he won't try anything. Not if he wants his butt handed to him again. Now I gotta go, so stay safe, okay?"

Ruby felt her stomach clench, but somehow Bullock's small smile gave her some confidence. She then nodded and said, "Okay, Detective. I'll try."

"Good," said Bullock. With that he turned and nodded to Sharp and Boles before leaving out the metal doors, leaving the trio standing there. It was quiet for a bit before Ruby, turned to the two. "So," she said, "When do you think this 'Batman' guy will be here with… what was his name, Joker?"

"Not too long, I'd wager," Sharp said.

"Oh. Say, I was wondering something. What's the story about this place? Where I come from, we don't have anything like this as far as she knew." And that was the truth. Certainly there were quite a few prisons in Remnent for people like Torchwick and the White Fang, but as far as she knew there were no places for people who were criminals and crazy.

"Ah yes, well," Sharp began, "almost 120 years ago, Dr. Amadeus Arkham- the former owner of this mansion and the grounds- created the 'Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane' (named after his own mentally-ill mother) in order to help poor souls in need of aid. He moved his family here from Metropolis where he was originally working and began remodeling the house. Unfortunately, something… tragic happened during the remodeling process."

Ruby's silver eyes widened, "Why? What happened?"

"A patient, whom Arkham had been working with, 'Mad Dog' Hawkins, broke out of prison. He followed the family to Gotham, broke into the house and, well, let's just say-"

"Let's just say, when Arkam returned home that night, he didn't have a family to come home _to_ anymore," Boles interrupted, a small smirk on his face.

Ruby felt she was going to be sick. She had seen the Dracos' violent tendencies, but the way this "Mad Dog" was described, it was as though he were a human Grimm. "You-You mean he-he actually-"

"Among other things, yeah." At this, Boles took over the story. "Eventually Mad Dog was caught and became one of the first patients here. Arkham insisted on treating him himself. He made it seem like he wanted to help but deep inside, he hated the scum for what he did and secretly took great joy in doing electroshock on him Eventuall, after six years, he deemed him untreatable and gave him a fatal jolt. Afterwards, Arkham started a downhill spiral and eventually, the loon ended up dying a patient in his own asylum. Since then, they say Arkham's ghost haunts the place." He finished his story with a creepy smile, made creepier by his scare."

"That's enough, Boles," Sharp admonished. "Let's not scare the poor girl. She's looking quite pale." Boles simply rolled his eyes, but backed off. It was true though the tale had frightened Ruby somewhat; she had never imagined that something could possibly be true. She wouldn't be surprised if this place was haunted, it was creepy enough. Still, she was more frightened by the idea that a man- a human being- should do something akin to a Grimm was horrible.

Then again maybe not. As her Uncle Qrow had sometimes told her, "Sometimes I have to wonder if we're not all Grimms in disguise. Wanting to destroy others while thinking we want to protect them." After all, humans did terrible things to Faunus and vice versa with the White Fang. Maybe they were all kind of nasty way deep down; some just showed it off more freely and in worse ways than others.

Ruby was shaken from her thoughts by a loud sound. It almost sounded like a car engine. That is, if a car engine also doubled as a Bulkhead engine.

"Ah," said Sharp, looking at the door, "he's here."

Ruby figured he must have meant this Batman guy they had told her about. She wondered what he looked like. Would he be weird looking, what with a name like "Batman," he must have been pretty weird.

The doors suddenly flashed green lights and unlocked, opening to reveal two figures, slightly obscured by bright car headlights illuminated from a large black car. Ruby had thought she had seen many things in her career as a huntress-in-training, but at that moment that idea was thrown right out the window.

The first figure was tall, muscular, wearing a grey and black suit with a large bat emblem. He had a large billowing black cape behind him that was attached to an equally black cowl covering all but his mouth, chin and eyes that was topped with pointed bat-like ears. He also had a yellow belt strapped around his waist. His most imposing feature was his intimidating aura that he seemed to radiate like crazy. Unlike with Boles and Sharp, whose also intimidating auras unnerved her in a slightly bad way, this guy's unnerved her, but made her also feel like he would protect her if she were in trouble. This must have been "Batman." He looked a lot like those heroes she and Jaune liked to read about in comics. Knowing Jaune, if he were here, he'd either be geeking out or faint dead away.

The man next to him was handcuffed behind his back, on his knees and was almost the exact opposite of the other man. He was fairly skinny, and wore a pinstripe purple suit with a wilted flower on it along with black pointy shoes. What unnerved Ruby most was his face; he had green hair, pale skin that surpassed even Weiss's in lack of color, and blood red lips curved into a sickeningly twisted smile. Ruby could only assume that this was "Joker."

Now, contrary to popular belief at school, Ruby Rose was _not_ scared of clowns. In fact, she found them quite amusing. Rather, in a surprising turn, it was her older sister Yang who was afraid of them. It was a secret between just the two of them with Yang vowing to Ruby that if word somehow got out, she most likely end whoever told quite painfully, even if it were her own sister. When Ruby had asked her why she was scared of such funny people, Yang had admitted she just was. She said it was their faces that mainly unnerved her. All the usually garish makeup, making their eyes stand out when they looked at her. Ruby shivered slightly. In that case, Ruby was glad she wasn't here because if she got one look at Joker, the pugilistic blonde would be running for the hills, screaming in terror. Still, she had to admit; despite his freaky appearance, he didn't look like a guy who could cause chaos and carnage that send people running. No, he looked more like some washed-up birthday clown. Then again, many of her friends- such as her friends in Team JNPR, like Jaune, Nora and Ren- didn't seem very dangerous. Heck, as stated before, many tended to underestimate her easily.

Batman looked ahead and suddenly his eyes fell slightly on Ruby. The reaper couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a flicker of shock on his extremely grim and stoic face. It then faded as quickly as it had shown itself as Batman pulled Joker roughly to his feet. "Move," he growled in a voice matching his intimidating appearance to a tee.

Ruby felt another shiver of fear as Joker let out a chilling chuckle that could've curdled milk. "Hey, Sharpie! Love what you've done with the place." It was official now. With that crazy voice, Ruby officially knew now that this clown was not like the funny ones she knew from the fairs and circus's back home; he was definitely someone to fear.

"That's _Warden_ Sharp to you," the warden snapped back before turning to the guard. "Boles."

The scared man walked menacingly up to Joker, but the clown greeted him like Ruby would an old friend.

"Yo, Frank-ey! How's the wife and kids? Ya miss me?" Abruptly, Boles lifted Joker up by his purple collar while glaring murderously.

"Shut it, clown! A lotta people _really_ wanna talk ta you," sneered Boles before he roughly grabbed Joker by the arm and started leading him to the stretcher. Just then, Joker spotted Ruby for what seemed like the first time and stopped abruptly. If even possible, his mouth split into a wider, more sickening grin.

"Well, as I live and breathe! If it ain't the Red Rose Reaper herself! How've ya been, Red? It's been ages since I last saw ya, and I must say you're looking quite well for a woman your age."

This caused Ruby to balk at the statement; he sounded like he knew her from somewhere.

"Um, have we met?"

"Aw, c'mon, Red. Don't tell me that in all those five years, you've forgotten your old pal, Jokey. I remember you, though!" With that, he threw back his head and laughed like the maniac he was. Ruby felt terrified; why in the world would this criminal say he knew her from somewhere?!

Batman, who seemed to be watching the exchange with some vaguely disguised interest, then turned to the Warden. "I assume this is what Gordon wanted to talk to me about? Why is she here? This place is not for someone her age."

"Apparently, according to Detective Bullock, who dropped her off, she was foud causing a disturbance and beating up some gang members. She was also discovered with a highly unusual weapon I sent it down to Commissioner Gordon in Patient Handover, who I might add got here before these two and you did."

"Where's Bullock now."

I believe he's assisting with a matter in the city; something to do with Penguin."

"I see."

The conversation was broken by Joker complaining to the guards. "Really, I don't mind walking." He was then loaded onto and strapped to the stretcher. "Not so tight, boys, you'll crease the suit." He then let out another crazy chuckle as if he'd said a hilarious joke. Nobody was particularly amused, though.

"Get that filthy degenerate out of here," Warden Sharp demanded.

 _Couldn't agree more,_ Ruby thought; though she wasn't sure what "degenerate" meant, the way he used it made it sound like a word Weiss would use to describe someone or something she hated. That fit Joker well.

However, Batman seemed suspicious about something. "Warden, something's not right; I'm going with him."

"Well, in that case, perhaps you should take the girl with you. It would save you and the Commissioner trouble of coming back here after to talk. I only hope she doesn't cause you trouble."

Ruby felt a little offended at the statement, but paused saying anything when Batman glared at her with such a fierce expression, she felt like she was frozen by Ice Dust. " She won't; will you," he asked in a low tone that told her to watch what she said.

Ruby gulped and rapidly shook her head. "No problem," she squeaked.

"Good. Now come on. And stick closely. Not just for me to keep an eye on you, but also so you don't get into trouble. As I said, Arkham is no place for someone your age."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Ruby muttered nervously.

As the doors started opening again, Ruby couldn't help but think this was just freakin' perfect. Not only was she trapped in a world with no known way of how she got here or how to go home, but she was also in a horrific asylum and was apparently going into it. It was like walking straight into the belly of a hungry Grimm. And to top it all off, she had met a criminal who was so crazy and creepy that he could probably make Grimm run in terror at the mere sight of him. And for some INSANE reason, he seemed to _know_ her. First, this Gordon guy, and then Bullock, and now Joker! Heck, even Batman seemed to have been looking at her in a scrutinizing way. Worst off all, she hadn't been able to hold her baby in a while. Her arms felt so empty and light

What in the name of the Two Brother Gods was going on?!

She then took a deep breath to calm herself. _Just calm down, Ruby; hopefully talking with this Gordon guy will fix things up and get you some answers. And you'll feel better one you have Crescent Rose back in your arms again._

So, with a deep breath, Ruby followed Batman to the doors after Joker. Little did she- oranyone, really-know that tonight would be a night that would change Ruby Rose's life.

Forever, even.


	3. Chapter 3-The Great Escape

**Again, I do not own RWBY or Batman: Arkham Asylum. They are properties of Monty and Rooster Teeth and Bob Kane and Bill Finger, DC, Warner Bros., and Rocksteady Games.**

Chapter 3- The Great Escape

As Ruby was forced to walk ahead of the mysterious black-clad man, she noticed security cameras stationed on either side of a sign that read "Arkham Asylum Intensive Treatment." They seemed to be watching their every move and this made her feel fairly uneasy to say the least.

Once in the lobby, she stopped for a second as she heard Batman talk to someone. "I understand the Commissioner is in?" Turning around, Ruby saw him speaking to one of the officers standing guard.

"Yes sir," the guard said nodding. "He's down in patient handover; he got here with the kid just before you did." Upon hearing that, Ruby stopped short and pouted slightly. How many times did she have to say that she was NOT a kid!? She was fifteen for crying out loud! Just because she was small for her age…

But before she said anything, Batman nodded and moved forward, shooting Ruby a hard glare. "I thought I told you to keep moving," he growled. Immediately, Ruby let out a squeak like a mouse and scurried ahead, trying to keep ahead of her large black-caped follower. Up ahead, she saw a metal path leading to some sort of lift, two armored guards standing on either side with guns trained on the deathly pale man strapped to the trolley a bit ahead of Ruby.

Suddenly, said man spoke up in that raspy tone of his. "Sharpie LOVES his cameras!" He then leaned out a little to call to Warden Sharp, who was standing with another guard a little ways back. "Hey Sharpie! Ya gettin' my good side? Aw, but heck. They're all good, aren't they?" He then looked straight at Ruby and gave a grin then made her almost stop again. "Hey, c'mon, Red! Give us a smile! After all, you're on candid camera!" He let out another demented chuckle at this. Ruby tried ignoring him, but that laugh proved hard to block out. Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder, causing her to jump about a foot in the air. She looked around to see Batman behind her essentially leading her as he held her shoulder.

"He's just trying to get a rise out of you. It's what he does. He's not worth it, so just try to ignore him as best you can." Ruby simply gave a nod of confirmation and kept walking forward, Batman removing his hand but sticking closely like a living shadow.

As they walked to the lift, she overheard Sharp talking to the guard next to him, possibly a higher up. "I want him SECURLY locked away this time! Another escape and I'll lose any support for my mayoral campaign!"

Upon hearing that, Ruby couldn't help but be reminded of those rants she had overheard her Uncle Qrow doing to her father about politicians, particularly those from Atlas. As he put it (normally with a flask waving about in his hand), the vast majority of politicians were just a bunch of self-righteous idiots who didn't truly care about anyone but themselves and were more concerned with their image and ensuring they got enough votes in the next election than actually working to make things better for the people who were supposed to help GET them in office. Atlas was the worst of all, theirs being concerned about money above all else and almost completely bigoted against anyone not from their kingdom, against Faunus in particular. From what Weiss had told them about her life in the kingdom, he wasn't all that off. Sharp sort of reminded Ruby a bit of General Ironwood, the Atlas Academy headmaster who had come to head security for the Vytal Festival. While he did seem like a nice guy trying to do good, Ruby couldn't help but think he was a little more concerned with image, what with all those ships he had brought with him. Unfortunately, Sharp was like Ironwood without any really good qualities.

"Don't worry, Warden," said the guard confidently. "I have every available guard stationed here today, sir."

"I hope it's enough, Officer North, for your sake," the Warden responded threateningly to the now-named guard. His tone then changed back to the self-righteous voice she had heard him using before. "Joker is our most trying patient. Curing him will cement my reputation. Inform Dr. Young her patient is here." At that, Ruby rolled her eyes. Yep. Just like Qrow had said, at least in this one's case. Still Ruby couldn't help but also feel bad for this "Dr. Young." If she was Joker's psychiatrist, it probably wasn't an easy job. She was surprised that someone who worked in such proximity to a guy like him hadn't quit by now. Then again she didn't know just HOW many shrinks Joker had gone through, so for all she knew, Dr. Young could have been the latest in a VERY long line.

As the group stepped (or in Joker's case, rolled) onto the large lift, spotlights turned on, causing Ruby to temporarily cover her eyes. As it began to descend downward, Ruby then heard Joker speak up again.

"Look at all this new security," he mused. "How's a guy supposed to break outta here?"

" _That's kind of the idea,"_ Ruby thought with another roll of her eyes.

Once they reached the bottom, the guards rolled Joker forward to a metal mist-filled tunnel over which was a sign that said "Intensive Treatment." A small chime suddenly sounded and a female voice announced over a hidden intercom.

" _ **New patient in the Intensive Treatment lobby. All non-essential staff to vacate the area."**_

Ruby then turned to Batman, "Should we maybe move? We're not staff," she said.

"No, but for the moment, we're essential," Batman stated in his gruff tone as if it were a fact.

Upon entering the tunnel, Joker's smile split even wider if possible. "Ahh, it's always nice to my sweet little ha-ha-! Hacienda," he stated with a chuckle.

At that, Ruby rolled her eyes again. "Is there ever a time when he's NOT laughing?" Ruby muttered.

However, while she had meant to keep it to herself, Batman must have overheard her as he actually startled her by answering. "There are, but I pray you NEVER witness those times."

The girl couldn't help but feel unnerved by Batman's answer, as if HE had seen it and it wasn't pretty. "W-why not, exactly," she dared to ask.

Batman then gave her a dark look. "Because when he's NOT laughing, he's at his most deadly and dangerous."

Ruby couldn't help but gulp at that implication. If what Batman was saying was true, then this guy who was dangerous now could be even MORE dangerous. And that thought alone was frightening. She knew how a massively swift change in character for a person could lead to dangerous things for anyone who stood in their way. Her sister Yang, for example, was usually jovial and enjoyed doing banter during battles. She even flirted with her opponents sometimes- be they male OR female- if it helped get them off balance (either that or she thought they really _were_ cute). However, should something happen to her gorgeous blonde hair during that? All. Bets. Were. Off! She would be more than happy to cut the jokes and flirts and get straight to the smashing with a sneer on her face rather than a smile. Still, at least the people she fought either had Aura or were just Grimm. Here, these people obviously didn't have the luxury of Aura if those Draco's conditions were an indicator. And if Joker was scary making dark jokes… what was he like NOT making them?

Once they stepped through the mist and into the tunnel, a door closed down and effectively trapped them in. They then walked into the middle of the tunnel and waited for a few seconds.

" _Tunnel's full! Start the scan,"_ a guard called out over an intercom.

" _Scan initializing,"_ another guard announced as scanners started moving and filling the tunnel with a cobalt light. Apparently, the whole tunnel was one huge metal detector. Ruby felt a little uncomfortable as the lights went over her.

"Y'know what? I prefer the good ol' cavity search. Much more personal," Joker chuckled.

Suddenly, the light turned red as an alarm sounded, causing Ruby to jump slightly.

" _Got a red light! Multiple prohibited items,"_ the voice of the second guard who had spoken sounded.

" _I want Joker searched AGAIN,"_ the first voice said, obviously irritated at this.

" _Err. It's not the patient. It's, err…,"_ the second stammered. Ruby looked at Batman and realized that HE must have been the one to set it off. After all, she didn't have Crescent Rose and the few Dust bullets she still had on her wouldn't have set it off being a metal detector and all.

Joker must have realized it too because he turned to look at the Caped Crusader with a large knowing grin. "Ooh! Whatcha sneak in with ya, Bats? C'mon, tell me, tell me! Batarangs? Batclaws? Ooo! Bat SNACKS?" He then turned to Ruby who shrank back a bit. "Or maybe Little Red here has some goodies for Granny on her somewhere, eh?" He gave a small giggle at his joke which made Ruby uncomfortable.

" _Scan is green on Joker,"_ the second voice said.

After about a second, the first voice spoke up again. _"Open the gate! Get him OUT of there,"_ he ordered.

The gate then lifted up to reveal other guards on the other side, their weapons pointed toward them as Joker was wheeled in. One guard in particular stood out as he seemed to be the leader. He was a tall Black man with a commanding presence. But what really drew Ruby's attention was that his left hand was actually a metal HOOK! The metal glinted in the dim light. She wondered how he had lost it, thinking it was most likely in an accident. Though what KIND of accident, she would rather not know.

"I want weapons trained on him at all times. Do NOT let him out of your sight," the guard ordered, pointing his own weapon in his right hand at Joker. Ruby recognized his voice as the first guard she'd heard speaking.

As he was moved past him, Joker fixed the guard with narrowed eyes. "There'll be time for you later, Cash. Speaking of time, tick, tock, tick tock. Is that a crocodile I hear?" he asked in a mocking tone before giving his trademark chuckle at his joke.

Ruby wondered what he was talking about crocodiles for. This was an asylum, not a zoo. Though, as she paused and looked out of the corner of her eye, she saw the now-named Cash tense up slightly. Adding that with the hook hand, the hooded girl had to figure that Cash had lost his hand to a croc once and now had a fear of them. Perhaps he had worked at a zoo and then transferred to Arkham after the accident that lost him his hand? Maybe, but Ruby felt there might be more to it than that. In any case, he collected himself as quickly as his tenseness had appeared. The way he held himself, Cash must have been here for a while; it seemed he knew exactly what to do and how to act.

Suddenly, Batman pushed her forward in a slight rough manner as if to get her moving again, causing Ruby to scurry along. As they left the area, they passed by the two guards who were gathered around a woman. She was very attractive, with long, dark brown hair that was worn up in a ponytail, tanned skin and blue eyes with the slightest of makeup visible. She looked like the kind of woman Qrow would immediately try to get together for a night with, but would instantly turn him down for number of reasons which she would list the minute he opened his mouth. She was wearing a white doctor's coat so Ruby assumed she worked here as a physician or a shrink.

Upon seeing her name tag closer up, which said "P. Young," Ruby confirmed her theory and figured that this was the Dr. Young Warden Sharp had mentioned- the one who was apparently Joker's psychiatrist. Ruby couldn't blame the look of apprehension on her face. Unfortunately, hiding did no good as Joker still saw the doctor and gave her a creepy face-splitting smile that was probably supposed to be friendly but did nothing to convey it.

"What's up, doc? Pencil me in for tomorrow at four," Joker said casually, leaning out slightly to call out to her. His genial voice then quickly changed to a threatening one as he added, "We've got a lot of catching up to do." Ruby didn't like the implications of that statement, but tried to ignore it like Batman said as she kept walking.

Upon entering down a new long hallway, monitors above them turned on and a video of Warden Sharp began playing.

"Hello, new patient. This is Quincy Sharp, Warden of Arham Asylum." Ruby figured this was just a recording played whenever a patient entered the hall, be they new or returning ones.

Joker seemed highly amused by this, probably having seen it every time he was brought back. "Oh, it's my favorite show. 'I'm Warden Idiot.' 'You'll never escape,'" he mocked in an exaggerated imitation before letting out another high-pitched laugh.

The party then passed an area blocked off by bars. Behind them, there was a group of at least a dozen men being led down the opposite way, guards behind them with guns pointed at them. However, these men were wearing outfits more suited for a prison than an asylum.

As soon as the men saw Joker, they actually started cheering his name with glee and saying things like "Hey, it's Joker," "Hear about Blackgate, boss?" and "Yo, catch ya soon, boss!" At that, the guards yelled at them to shut it and keep quiet, but they kept cheering even when threatened. Joker gave them a smile for a second before turning away.

"Who are they? They work for him?" Ruby whispered to Batman, walking slower so she could talk to him.

"Yes. They're Joker's goons from Blackgate Penitentiary," Batman answered. "They're here because a fire damaged their area of the prison, so they have to be kept here until repairs are done. Honestly, I don't like it."

"How come?"

Batman fixed her with a look that made her shrink a little. "It seems too coincidental that they arrive here right before Joker does. Plus that many henchmen arriving here seems too much. Almost as if they were being planted."

Ruby had to admit that did seem a bit odd. Why would there be that many men being transferred right before their boss was to come? However, she was unable to think about it too long before Joker's voice interrupted.

"I'm telling you, the state of wiring in these federal prisons is- well, it's shocking! My boys over there could have been hurt in that… 'unfortunate' fire." The way he said "unfortunate" didn't sound too sorrowful to Ruby and it made her wonder. Was Batman right? Had the fire maybe been a way of getting all the inmates out of the prison to here where their boss was? She'd read some of Blake's detective stories and she knew that some master criminals planned things like that MONTHS in advance. But surely Joker wasn't THAT brilliant. Smart, maybe, but still…

She soon stopped as the group in front of her came to a halt. In front of them were a group of guards and a bald-headed doctor holding a clipboard. "Just gotta check your prisoner, Officer Boles," he said to the scarred officer.

"Whatever, just be quick," he snapped, an ugly scowl on his face.

Ruby didn't like his attitude much. _What's his problem? I get Joker's not a likable guy, but…_

"Only following procedure," the doctor said in a tone that said he'd gotten this response before from guards. He then leaned in to look at Joker. "Well, patient seems to be in satisfactory condition. Looks like he suffered minor lacerations, probably in the last two hours." As he talked, Ruby noticed Joker was rather quiet and had something like a far-off look in his eye. He suddenly turned to Ruby and looked at her intensely, creeping Ruby out to no end. The look in his eyes was like looking into a Grimm's eyes before it eats you. She backed up slightly next to Batman, who narrowed his own eyes at Joker. The doctor meanwhile leaned in to get a closer look at the clown. "There seems to be..."

Suddenly, Joker turned to the doctor and shouted, "BOO," before cackling loudly like the madman he was. As soon as he did that, the doctor jumped back in fright, the guards lifted about five guns at Joker's pasty face and Ruby let out a shriek, jumping back and bumping into Batman's chest. Upon feeling what she had done, she look up at him with a sheepish grin while he looked down with a deep frown and glare. Ruby immediately scooched a little ways away before he could say anything. She was surprised that he was the only one who hadn't reacted; probably because he was used to antics like this from Joker.

"Need to take my temperature," he asked the doctor with a large grin. "I'd be happy to drop my pants." Ruby nearly gagged at the thought and image of that, but then realized he was only trying to creep them out. Still, that was NOT something she needed in her mind.

"He's all yours. Get him out of here," snarled the doctor in disgust.

"He's good. Get the door opened," reported one of the guards over his radio.

Thick, giant doors like before opened up to reveal a room with about a dozen more guards and what looked like an elevator cable of some kind. As they move forward, Ruby heard another chime.

" _ **Alert in Intensive Treatment. Category 9 patient in transit. Pacification system active. 'Shoot to Kill' permissions granted."**_

Ruby gulped upon hearing that last part. Whoever it was obviously VERY dangerous. She was reminded of those Grimm she had read about in Professor Port's class. Every Grimm had some sort of classification: from 1 (meaning easily dispatched by one huntsman), to a 10 (meaning so dangerous ONLY a skilled team of at least a dozen Huntsmen working together in sync could even have a slight chance to defeat it). If this patient was a "9," then they were as dangerous as some of the most violent Grimm back home.

She was soon brought from her thoughts when a guard called out to the others, "You heard the lady. We got another psycho on the way."

At that, the elevator cable began moving up, but very slowly. Ruby shuffled her feet a little, nervous about what to expect. Batman turned and looked at her, but instead of a glare like last time, it was a small look of concern.

"You alright," he asked in a low voice.

"Yeah, yeah," Ruby answered. Truth be told, she wasn't really. As the creaks of the elevator started getting louder, Ruby felt like she was going to be sick. Whoever it was in the elevator, they were BIG! The lift was straining to go up all the way and sparking as it went against the sides of the wall. Everyone seemed a more than a little on edge.

…Except for Joker. He just continued smiling like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Can you smell the excitement in the air," he asked aloud. Upon not receiving an answer, he just replied, "No? Hmm. Must have been one of the guards, then." Then, as the elevator reached its final assent, he turned around as much as he could restrained and called out, "Croc, old boy! Is that you?"

Ruby looked at the elevator as finally came to a jerky halt.

"Get ready," one of the guards stated and everyone raised their guns and Ruby noticed Batman's fist clench slightly as if he was ready too

Ruby looked at the doors finally opened… and couldn't believe her eyes.

It appeared, to her surprise, to be a Faunus, dressed in only orange prison pants. And by the looks of the green and grey scales all over his body, it seemed he was a crocodile Faunus. But she had thought there WEREN'T any Faunus in this world.

The doors opened finally and as the… thing (she hesitated to call it a Faunus just yet) climbed out, Ruby got a better look. The first thing about him was he was ENORMOUS! He was bigger than an Atlisian Knight or Paladin.

It had a flat face, snaggled teeth, and yellow eyes that looked very reptilian. It also had thick handcuffs and a collar on its neck. All in all, it looked like it could easily grab an Ursa Major or Alpha Beowolf and snap its neck in a few short seconds. Either that or give a look that would send said Grimm running for cover.

"Keep your weapons trained on it at all times." The voice of a guard brought her out of her thoughts.

"He looks angry," she heard one guard murmur out the side of his mouth.

"Angry nothin'. That thing looks PISSED," she heard the guy next to him hiss back.

At once, a spotlight shone on the creature and he (now that she knew a gender) hissed in response. Then, he grunted and started sniffing the air, making snuffs as he inhaled.

He then turned and saw the group before him and Ruby. Ruby felt her blood run cold as the crocodile creature stared at them for a few seconds, a faint MERDEROUS look in his eye before he started turning towards them, shaking the ground as he moved.

She wasn't the only one getting nervous though. She saw the guards following the creature with their guns as it moved. "What's it doing," one guard asked. Meanwhile, Joker continued watching the whole thing as if it were an interesting movie. Ruby didn't know how he couldn't be the least bit afraid of this guy.

Then, to Ruby's greater shock, the creature opened his mouth… and SPOKE! It was in a growling tone that sounded like he was gargling rocks and barbed wire.

"I've got your scent, Batman. I will hunt you down." Then he turned to Ruby and she swore she just did a Number One in her pants from the way he was looking at her. "And YOU… you may look different, and your scent's a little off… but I NEVER forget one. I'll have you as an appetizer."

Ruby felt almost faint upon hearing those words. First Bullock and Gordon, then Batman and Joker and now this… thing recognized her! What was happening here!?

"Power up the collar! Get that animal under control!" All at once, Ruby snapped out of her stupor upon hearing that. The collar around the croc man's neck suddenly started pulsing and making sounds like that of being shocked with electricity. He roared angrily as he bent over in pain. Once the collar stopped, an officer called, "Get that thing outta here. Now!"

The crocodile man stood up slightly panting and fixed the Caped Crusader and the hooded girl with a glare that could stop a Beowolf cold. "A toy collar won't stop me from killing you, Batman. I'll rip you apart. Eat your bones." As the monster man started to walk away down another corridor (with a couple of guards behind him), he shot Ruby one more glance with his hideous yellow eyes. "But you'll be first, Reaper. Don't think I've forgotten Blackgate." And with that, he stalked away, chains rattling and ground shaking.

Once he left, there was a poignant pause in which no one said a thing. Then, the annoying voice of Joker broke through.

"That reminds me. I really need to get me some new shoes," he quipped, wiggling his feet to prove his point. He then saw Ruby, whose face looked paler than Wiess's. "What's wrong, Red? Seeing a blast from the past take a blast out of you?" He then chuckled madly.

As the guards ordered Joker to be moved up, Batman noticed Ruby standing transfixed with a look of fear on her face. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she jumped almost 2 feet in the air. She began breathing heavily before she looked at Batman and tried to calm herself down, though she was shaking like a leaf.

"You okay?" Batman asked.

"Who… WHAT was that?" Ruby asked in a low tone.

"Waylon Jones, A.K.A. Killer Croc. Born with a rare skin condition that gives him the reptilian appearance you saw." The two began to walk forward with Batman leading Ruby by the shoulder. "He had a rough childhood and eventually the taunts drove him off the deep-end. He's now almost as animalistic as he looks. He's been convicted on numerous accounts of murder… and cannibalism."

Ruby spared a glance back where Croc had left. So he was no Faunus after all… just a monster of a man. Batman then spoke again.

"The guard, Cash, and Jones have a history." Ruby saw Cash behind them, staring down the hall with a look equal to that of the look Croc had given her and Batman. She saw the hook and Joker's crack about crocodiles from before became clear now.

"You mean he-"

"Tried to break up a riot Croc had started. And Croc ate his hand."

Ruby gulped. She hoped she NEVER ran into Croc again.

Once the group entered the elevator, the guards outside shut the gate and called, "Hold tight."

The elevator then rumbled slightly and started descending downward. Before leaving completely, Ruby hear one of the guards ask another, "How come they let Batman and the kid past security?" Ruby simply rolled her eyes at that.

She looked around the small space. There wasn't much really; just two T.V. screens on either side showing the Arkham logo with "Arkham" spinning in front.

As they slowly continued down, Joker suddenly let out a cheer like he was riding a roller coaster. "Weee! GREAT night for a party!"

"Not where you're going," Batman said, shooting Joker a glare that didn't faze the clown as he simply chuckled.

"The night is young, Bats," Joker said in a slightly sneaking sounding voice. "I've still got a trick or two up my sleeves. I mean, don't you find it funny how a fire at Blackgate forced HUNDREDS of my crew to be moved here?" He gave a quiet giggle at that.

 _He's right_ , Ruby thought. _It's like Batman said. Something about that just seems too coincidental._

"I thought I told you to stay QUIET!" Boles snapped, aiming his rifle at Joker slightly as if to make his point. Joker however just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, Frankie," he sighed. "You really should learn to keep that fat trap of yours shut." His voice then went lower as if he were growling as he leaned forward slightly. "It'll get you in to trouble." There was no denying Joker had just made a threat.

"Tell me something," Batman said, catching Joker's attention. "You've never let me catch you THISeasily. What are you REALLY after?"

"Oh nothing much," Joker answered nonchalantly as he inspected his glove. "Hundreds dying in pain and fear. All their meaningless lives brought to a HORRIFYING conclusion." Glaring at Batman, he then growled, "All thanks to you and a book of matches." Immediately after he perked up. "Was that the answer you wanted?"

Upon hearing how he talked about killing people so easily, Ruby got a small burst of courage and glared her silver eyes at him. "You're a monster," she hissed.

At that, Joker chuckled. "Well of COURSE I am, Red. Honestly, don't ya remember? You said the same thing after we first met!" He then frowned and narrowed his eyes at her. "Seriously, what game are you playing at here? Cause frankly, it's no fun at all."

Ruby's burst suddenly dissipated and she found herself shrinking from Joker's gaze. Suddenly, the monitors came on and showed Warden Sharp speaking (obviously another recording).

"All patients should avoid contact with prisoners from Blackgate Prison Facility. Their presence in our institution is…"

Suddenly, numerous things happened at once. The light started flickering. The T.V.s went out. The elevator jerked to a sudden stop, causing Ruby to stumble slightly. Worst of all, as the lights flickered out Joker let out a series of high pitched cackles and giggles that chilled Ruby. It was as if he KNEW this would happen.

In the pitch black Ruby hear the guards shouting in slight panic.

"What's he doing?"

"Stay where you are."

"Get a flashlight! Get a light on him!"

It was at times like this that Ruby wished she were a Faunus and had night vision. She frantically stumbled around trying to find someone or something to touch, but stayed away from the direction of Joker's cackles.

Suddenly, the deranged laughter was cut off, degrading into a croaking and choking sound. The lights and the T.V. then came back on and the elevator started moving again. However, Ruby didn't paying attention to any of that. Instead, she gaped at what she saw a few feet from her; Batman with a gloved hand around Joker's throat.

"What," Joker gasped around his vice-gripped windpipe as he gave a strained innocent looking grin, "Don't you trust me?" In answer, Batman simply pulled Joker forward and slammed him against the stretcher, the clown panting heavily as he regained his breath.

Ruby stared at what she was seeing. How had Batman been able to react so fast? More importantly, the incident hadn't fazed him in the slightest. Just who WAS this man!?

The elevator stopped and one of the guards outside it spoke up in an icy tone. "Our _guest_ has arrived."

The gate opened and the group walked out as the chime went off again.

" _ **Intensive Treatment lower floors are now at level Red Alpha."**_

Ruby assumed that that code was for the more dangerous patients like Joker. As they walked, the other guards pointed their rifles at Joker with looks that said they were itching for a reason to blow the smiling maniac's head off.

"So, your back," one guard with no gun said as we walked in time with the group. Ruby assumed he was the one in charge on this floor. This was proven true when he venomously growled his next statement. "You killed three of my crew when you busted outta here."

A large door in front opened up as they walked and Joker turned to look at the guard who'd spoken. "Only three," he asked with a bark of laughter. "I'll be sure to try harder next time." The guard stopped as they went through the door and Joker called out as they left him behind. "What say we aim for a hundred?"

Ruby noticed the man gritting his teeth and clenching his fists at that statement. Honestly, she couldn't blame him. From only the short time she had known Joker, she personally felt something she had never experienced before in her 15 years of life: pure, unadulterated HATRED for a person. Joker in her mind was worse than any Grimm in existence on Remnant. He was so lucky she didn't have Crescent Rose in her hands right now. She hoped he stayed in this place of hopelessness forever.

Suddenly, a hand placed on her shoulder. Unlike the other times where it had surprised her, she figured it was Batman easily and merely turned toward him.

"Like I said. Don't listen to a word he says. He's just trying to get rises out of us. Get under our skins."

Ruby nodded but still felt her blood boil.

"So," Batman spoke again. "You alright after what happened back there?"

Ruby assumed he meant the elevator incident. She nodded again.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay. Just… caught me a little off guard there. Not you though, it seems."

"Trust me. I've had plenty of incidents like that that it doesn't really faze me much anymore."

Ruby sighed. "Wish I was like that."

Batman gave her a small smile. "I'm sure you will be one day."

* * *

Soon, they arrived in what was obviously the Intensive Treatment Patient Handover area. Standing at a desk was an elderly looking man in his mid-fifties. He wore glasses, had white hair and mustache, had a gun holstered to his side, and a policeman's badge hooked to his belt. This was Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon, head of GCPD and one of Batman's most trusted confidants and allies.

As Gordon finished filling out a form on a clipboard, he looked up and spotted the people he was waiting for. In walked the Dark Knight, two Arkham guards, the cause of all the trouble this night being rolled in on a stretcher, and… his heart stopped. Gordon stood there and gapped for a second. He couldn't believe his eyes. There, walking in front of Batman, was someone he never expected to see any time soon. She definitely looked different- younger, a little less experienced looking- but there was NO denying those eyes and that hair. She looked EXACTLY like her.

When he'd heard from Bullock about a girl who matched the description of the one whom he'd met eight or so years ago, Gordon couldn't have believed it. It was impossible. She had disappeared as mysteriously as she had appeared that night. He had never got the courage to ask Batman about it, assuming it was an internal thing; a one-time working together that led them to go their separate ways. However, when a guard came in with that…thing, he had damn near pinched himself. It was less technologically advanced, sure, but it was STILL the same color scheme, the same look. Still, there was NO WAY in hell it could be the same person. But looking at her now, it was impossible to deny the similarities that were almost scary. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. Right?

Gordon was broken from his thoughts by Batman speaking to him as he walked toward him. "Long night, Jim?" he ask good-naturedly. He knew the answer to that. Gordon shook his hand and gave a small chuckle.

"Joker invades City Hall, leaving me to juggle SWAT teams, the media and YOU." He then let out a sigh. "Yeah, it's been a helluva night." The two then walked together over to the other side of the room.

"Hopefully the last one we'll ever have with him," Batman said.

Unknown to anyone, someone was watching and listening in on the whole conversation from a security monitor. They put their red and black boot clad feet up on the desk as they heard the two talk and let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, right."

As Joker was being booked, the commissioner and the Capped Crusader walked to the other side of the room to get more privacy to talk. Gordon turned to Batman.

"So… the girl." He then gestured to Ruby who was currently sitting on a bench near the patient handover desk, looking rather anxious as she happened to look over at the two and then look down at her hands. Batman sighed.

"I was wondering when you'd get to that topic," he said.

"No shit," Gordon muttered. He then gestured to Ruby again. "I mean look at her, Batman. She's the spitting image. The hood, the hair, and the eyes- those damn eyes are exactly the same. Even that crazy thing McNeil brought me up looked just like that thing she used then. I have it over here." He then led Batman behind the desk and picked up the large red weapon. They heard a loud gasp and saw Ruby with her face lit up upon seeing the sniper-scythe. However, upon seeing the two looking at her, she immediately looked back down, but kept one silver eye on her "baby." "You see," Gordon said. "Looks just like the thing, doesn't it?"

Batman then carefully picked up Crescent Rose and turned it over looking at it carefully, but being careful not to touch anything. "It certainly looks similar. Less knobs and things it had the last time, but nonetheless."

"I know, right!?" Gordon exclaimed, "But it can't be her, I know it."

"Are you certain about that?" Batman asked quirking an eyebrow.

"C'mon. You remember her. The last we saw of her was almost five years ago. She had to be at least 16, maybe 17, and she most assuredly would have grown up by now. This kid looks a few years younger than that at least." He paused and scratched his chin. "Couldn't be a daughter as much as she looks like her. Nor a twin, she'd be the same age. Maybe a younger cousin? I've heard of identical cousins. Hell, she could be a younger CLONE for all we know. Things like that are possible these days after all."

Batman looked at Gordon, then back to Ruby before sighing and looking back to the police commissioner. "No Jim," he said, shaking his head. "It's her."

Gordon looked in disbelief. "Batman, have you lost your mind? There's no way she could be-"

"I know she is because she told me herself."

Gordon looked at the Dark Knight strangely. "You mean she told you that tonight?"

"No. She told me it five years ago on Christmas, Jim."

Gordon put a hand to his temple. "I'm… I'm confused."

Batman sighed and placed Crescent Rose gently on the desk. "Five years ago, when I first met Ruby Rose, or the Red Rose Reaper as you know she came to be known as, she told me that she had met me before, five years in my future, no doubt meaning now. She also said that I would know who she was when we first met, but she wouldn't know me. At first, I thought she was insane, but with everything that happened, I felt like she was telling the truth. Now it seems everything's coming full circle."

Gordon looked at Batman with an odd look before finally speaking up again. "So what you're telling me is that that girl…"

"Is the same one from five years ago, though somehow younger. It's possible that she's a Ruby Rose from a time years ago from when I first met her. Who we're meeting now is a Reaper of HER past in OUR-MY- future."

Gordon looked shell-shocked for a minute then his look clouded over. "And you DIDN'T think to let ME know about this!? Dammit, Batman, I was there and fought alongside the both of you that night against HIM!" He then pointed to a still giggling Joker, who seemed to be wrapping up his booking, something he'd gone through dozens of times before of course. "This is important!"

"To be honest, I'd all but forgotten about her until tonight. Sure, she came into my memories a few times, but since I hadn't seen or heard from her in five years after she disappeared, I didn't really think much of it. Besides, I knew that if she was telling the truth, I'd see her again."

Gordon took a moment to let this all sink in before letting out a heavy sigh. "So… That really is the Red Rose Reaper that aided us five years ago, but from another time when she's younger. And just when I thought this night couldn't get crazier." He then turned to Ruby, who looked to be getting a tad impatient, but still waited. "So… what now? What do we do with her?"

"Right now, we, one, help her out in whatever trouble she's in, and, two, pretend we don't know who she is," Batman answered, startling Gordon.

"What? You want to lie to her and say she never met us before? Batman, she's no doubt had moments with Joker. He probably remembers that night well."

"He does. And she had an encounter with Croc on the way here too."

"Then she's obviously confused out of her wits! And you want to keep her in the dark MORE!?"

"Jim, during our first meeting… well, MY first meeting with her, she refused to say anything about her past besides some of the basics. She didn't tell me where she was from, how she used her abilities, anything. No doubt it was something about messing with the time stream. It was one of the main reasons I had so much trouble trusting her at first. But this one is younger, maybe a little more naïve. We may be able to get her to tell us things now that she didn't or couldn't then."

Gordon's scowl deepened. "I don't like this, Batman. Doing something like this doesn't seem right."

"Maybe not. But to her, this is her first meeting. She won't know anything about before. This may be the one chance we have to gouge anything about her."

"But I don't-"

"Gordon, she was a mystery to us then as she is now. She disappeared for five long years until tonight after helping us to defeat some of the world's most dangerous assassins and criminals, including Joker himself. From what I know, she's STILL something of an urban legend among Gothamites. This could be the one chance we have to gain any info on her; to wipe away the legend and bring the truth to light. Please."

Gordon looked at him for a moment as if thinking then heaved another sigh. "I know I'm gonna regret doing this later… but I'm as curious as you are. Alright, I'll play dumb with you."

Batman nodded with a small smile. "Thanks Jim. Now, she looks a bit fidgety. Let's go and say hello then get Joker back in his cell."

The two then walked over to the bench and Ruby jumped up. "About time you guys were done!" she cried. At the looks she got, the red clad girl wilted a bit. "Sorry, sorry. That was rude of me."

"It's understandable," Batman said. "We did take a while. We were just deliberating is all." He then turned to Gordon. "This is Police Commissioner James Gordon. He's an ally of mine."

Gordon held out a hand to Ruby. "It's a pleasure to… meet you."

Ruby noticed his pause but decided not to comment on it. "Ruby Rose. It's nice to meet you too, Commissioner. I've heard a lot about you."

Gordon nodded. "I'm sure you have."

Ruby let go of Gordon's hand and then looked at Batman. "So… Bullock said you might be able to help me with my problem of maybe getting me home?"

Batman looked at her with a quizzical gaze. "That depends. You'll need to give us some info on how you got here and where it is you're from exactly."

"Uh, Batman, shouldn't we get him in his cell first?" Gordon asked, gesturing to Joker who was being wheeled over to an area with an electrified looking gate, which led to the cells.

Batman noticed that Gordon was obviously trying to keep him from enacting his plan (no doubt still squeamish about the idea of lying), but ignored it and just nodded. He then turned to Ruby. "Stay here. We'll be right back." The two then turned to go to the entrance that led to the cells.

As they approached however, a guard who was standing with a doctor held up a hand to halt them. "Hold it there!" he said. "Sorry, Batman. Arkham staff only."

Ruby, while staying back, was still able to hear what they were saying and she was surprised. Considering how he'd handled Joker in the lift, she would have thought he'd be accepted as able to pass through.

Gordon apparently felt the same way if his annoyed tone was any indication. "I assure you. I anyone's qualified, it's…"

"Listen, I appreciate the assistance," the guard interrupted as the doctor wrote on a clipboard, "but he'll upset some of the more violent inmates."

Upon hearing that, Ruby now understood. If she were to show up at Roman Torchwick's cell, he most likely wouldn't be happy to see her. Especially since SHE had aided in his capture. The same was most likely true with Batman.

Just then, a dark chuckle was heard as Joker was unlocked from his gurney, handcuffed in his front and led to the entrance by Boles who, by the look on his face, was MORE than happy to be rid of him.

"I think he's talking about YOU, Bats. Though the same could be said about Red back there, you know." Joker gestured a nod to Ruby, who simply shot him a silver-eyed glare. "After all, considering last time she was in town, I'm sure quite a couple inmates would LOVE to have a reunion. Or a SPLIT if you catch my drift!" He gave another dark cackle as the guard grabbed his left arm and dragged him away, the doctor following. "Well, Uncle Jokey's gotta go now. Don't be strangers. You're ALWAYS welcome here. It'd be especially nice to catch up, Reddy." The doctor then pressed a code into a keypad and the entrance's electrified way vanished, allowing access. "Gotta say," the crazed clown said in a wistful tone, "it's good to be back." He then started cackling as Ruby came up to stand at Batman's left side.

"Good riddance," she muttered. However, she noticed the look on Batman's face and became a bit worried.

Gordon also appeared to see it. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I mean, he's in a safe place, right?" Ruby asked.

As if to answer both of them, Batman stated, "He surrendered almost without a fight. And the fact that a majority of his gang is here doesn't add up either." His eyes narrowed at the large window that showed the large entrance area to Intensive Treatment. "I don't like it." The trio then started walking toward the window to watch as Joker was led to a ramp at the end of the room.

"Well, like Ruby said, at least he's back where he belongs," Gordon grumbled.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby caught Boles pulling out his flask and taking a swig from it. She grimaced. In all honesty, Boles reminded her of Qrow a little. Except without any of the sweet uncle underneath the drunken exterior. No doubt he was Qrow if he didn't have any love for anything except money and drink and his family wasn't around.

She then looked to Batman. "SO now that all that's over with, do you think we could…?"

"Wait," Batman said. "What's going on down there?" His voice was now anxious and suspicious.

Ruby was annoyed at this dodging of her question, but as she and Gordon looked out at the area, she noticed why Batman looked so worried.

Down below, Joker was walking when he suddenly seemingly stumbled. On his knees, Joker hunched over.

The guard, obviously not happy with this distraction, tugged Joker's arm. "Get up. Now!"

However, this proved to be a mistake. As soon as the guard was close enough, Joker head-butted him hard in the jaw, sending HIM to his knees as the devious maniac jumped up and began strangling the guard with the cuffs.

"NO!" Ruby screamed at the scene unfolding in front of her.

"Joker's loose!" Batman exclaimed. He then turned to Gordon. "Alert the Warden!"

Down below, Joker was continuing to throttle the guard with the chains of the cuffs as the doctor frantically tried to find the right key to unlock the cuffs and save his friend.

"Hurry! We're losing him, Doc!" Joker called out with a mad chuckle.

Batman then reared his hand back and, with a hard punch, managed to create a large crack in the bulletproof glass.

Ruby however knew that he'd need something more. Using her Semblance, she zoomed back to the desk in a flurry of rose petals and grabbed Crescent Rose.

"What the hell?!" Boles cried.

"Ruby what are you-?" Gordon asked before Ruby pressed a button on the side and the weapon unfurled into its sniper form.

"Out of the way!" Ruby shouted and thankfully everyone did because the minute she did, she pushed the trigger and with a loud "CRACK" that nearly shattered everyone's eardrums, a Fire Dust bullet shot from the muzzle and hit the glass.

"BOOOMMM!"

Immediately, glass shattered and flew as the window was blown wide open. Seizing the opening, Batman jumped out the hole to the ground. Following after him was Ruby, landing behind him. She looked to the side and saw two bodies lying on the ground; the doctor, who while knocked out, seemed to still be breathing, and the guard who unfortunately WASN'T breathing. Ruby bit back a gasp at this. Joker had just killed a man in cold blood.

Just then, the voice of said maniac rang through the air. "Well, well, well. Looks like my little trap that I set grabbed an extra, eh Bats?" Ruby looked up toward the ramp leading toward the inner cells. The electric gate she'd seen had been turned off and Joker stood within the entrance, looking pleased as punch with his arms out in a grand gesture. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you," he continued. "Having the Red Rose Reaper here is just like having a little come together again, wouldn't you say?"

"Give up now, Joker!" Batman shouted.

Joker pretended to think for a minute before answering, "I don't think so. It's been so long since we've all been together like this. I think we should play a little game. It's called 'Survive the Thugs!'" Just then, the electric gate powered up again, cutting Ruby and Batman off from Joker.

It was then Ruby noticed movement all around them. Burly muscular men were coming out of many of the surrounding cells whose doors were wide open. The men then circled around the capped duo, who now stood back to back, watching as the thugs smirked and cracked their knuckles.

"Hey looky what we got here. The Bat who helped put us put us in here," one said.

"Yeah, and did Joker say that THIS kid was the Red Rose Reaper? No way. She's gotta be a new one. Like how the first Robin changed his look and a new one took over," another scoffed.

"Either way, they're both going down," another added, patting a metal pipe into his hand, as he leered menacingly.

As Ruby and Batman watched the group surround them, they whispered to each other.

"So, think we can take them?" Ruby asked.

"I think so," Batman answered. "So long as we don't kill them. That's the one thing I won't allow. Understood? I know that thing's a scythe, but DON'T use the blade lethally." Batman answered.

"Got it," Ruby nodded. "If the bullets I used on those Dracos are any indication, they'll do just fine on these guys. They'll just put them in the hospital for a few weeks."

"At least they're non-lethal," Batman said. "Any other kinds and I'd say 'no.'"

" **Enough chit-chat, you two,"** a magnified voice called out. The duo looked up to see Joker in an area near the entrance, speaking into a microphone. A wicked gleam could be seen in his eyes. **"Let the games… BEGIN!"**

At once, the group of thugs rushed Batman and Ruby. Two in particular rushed Ruby, who turned her weapon to its scythe mode. She then used the long handle to pole-vault over their heads and land behind them.

"Stand still, you little pest," one man shouted as they quickly turned around to face her.

"Like I'd do that," Ruby said. She then swung the blade at the two, but not enough to even graze them, just scare them a tad.

"HOLY SHIT!" one of them screamed before Ruby activated her Semblance and zoomed forward, laying a flurry of punches on the man's stomach. He keeled over before Ruby brought her handle's end up and with an audible "CRACK" of breaking jawbone, the man collapsed.

" **Ladies and maniacs, I apologize for the interruption of your regular entertainment."** Ruby heard Joker starting a running commentary, obviously to try and distract them. But fighting alongside Yang had taught her to somewhat block out annoying banter to focus on the tasks at hand. **"Up until a few seconds ago,** " Joker continued, **"I was going to kill everyone in the room and then watch cartoons. But then… well, you do know how I LOVE a captive audience."**

Ruby turned around to see the other man charging toward her. She quickly pressed a button on the scythe handle and the large intimidating scythe shrank to its gun form. She then pressed the trigger and unleashed another blast of fire as the Fire Dust projectile sped toward the man's face. He only had a few seconds to pull an "Oh Crap" look before it hit his face with a small "BOOM!" He went flying back into the wall where he collapsed out cold with a slightly smoking face.

She then turned around upon hearing a few cracks and punches and stared shocked. Batman stood around about five thugs, all knocked out and lying on the ground in various forms of pain. Apparently Batman had beaten them all himself.

He then turned to Ruby and, upon noticing the two thugs she'd downed, nodded.

"Not bad," he said.

" **Indeed, Red. Not bad at all,"** Joker commented from his safe area above. **"Although, I have to say, you seem a WEE bit rusty than last time. What? Five years in hiding give you time to slack off?"**

Ruby glowered at the Clown Prince of Crime up in the booth. She was getting sick and tired of his attitude about all this killing.

" **Well, I'm just warming you up anyway,"** sneered Joker. Ruby didn't like the sound of at once her fears were confirmed as the rest of the occupied cells in the area had their doors unlocked and the thugs from before stalked out, eager to avenge their fallen comrades.

" **Fresh from Blackgate Correctional Facility,"** Joker called out. **"With a combined sentence of 752 years. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! It's Round 2! Fight!"**

At that, a trio of thugs moved Ruby into a corner, trapping her like an animal and cutting her off from Batman.

"You know, I've always had a thing for cosplay girls," one of them said lecherously as they advanced. However, Ruby turned her gun back to scythe mode and again swung it at them, once again causing the menacing group to panic and scatter. Ruby then zoomed over to a thug and kicked him in the leg, a sickening "CRACK" heard as the thug howled in pain. Ruby then sent a speed-enhanced palm thrust upwards, which sent the thug flying into the thug who had made the comment. Both of them were knocked out.

" **Sorry to cut this reunion short Bats, Red, but I gotta run. You know how it is; places to go, people to slay."** Joker called out. With that, the villain ran away, the electric bars blocking any attempt at catching him.

As Ruby worked to get her wind or to think of what to do next, she suddenly felt a hard SMACK as something hit her side. She fell to the ground in pain as she held it, her Aura sparking red a tad as it took a big hit.

"Ruby!" she heard Batman cry out before returning to his own crew of villains.

"HA! Not so tough now! Are ya, bitch?" asked the thug who had used a pipe to hit her.

Suddenly, Ruby leapt up and grabbed a Dust cartridge from her belt. This one was a Lightening Dust one.

"What!?" exclaimed the thug. "But how…?"

"Can't explain now," Ruby said. "Gotta knock you out." With that, she pressed the trigger and a blast of electricity shot out. It hit the muscular thug and just like his friend, he screamed in pain as about 700 volts or so of electricity coursed through him. Once the shock was over, the thug was literally smoking and wobbling on his feet before toppling over. He'd be fine, but he'd need quite a few weeks to recover.

Ruby looked around and saw that Batman had dispatched all but one of the eight thugs who had gone for him. Batman swung a fist to block a punch and then jumped up to give a jump-snap side kick to the thug's head. The thug landed on the ground, clutching his head in pain before falling unconscious.

"Wow," Ruby said. "Good job."

Batman turned and nodded. "I saw you. You did good work too. Though I am a little concerned about that hit with the pipe you took. A normal hit like that would have someone down for a few minutes at least."

"It's okay. My Aura took most of the hit for me," Ruby said. "Still it did sort of hurt."

"Aura?" Batman asked. If he remembered right, that was one of the things he'd asked about five years ago but never got a straight answer about. Maybe now he COULD get some answers. Whatever this "Aura" was, it seemed to act as some sort of force field for Ruby. Hopefully she could shed more light. However, Batman quickly realized that he had more important things to worry about than Ruby's origin mysteries: the worst criminal in Gotham was now running loose in a place where many of his most powerful and dangerous foes were. Needless to say, it was a time bomb primed to blow unless acted on fast. "Never mind," he quickly said shaking his head. He then looked up at Gordon in the other booth. "How does it look, Jim?"

" **Not good,"** Gordon replies through his own microphone. **"The system's jammed. We're stuck in here. Joker's in full control of the security gates."**

"Of course he is," Ruby sighed.

"I'll find a way out," Batman said. "Gordon, try and contact the Warden. Let him know what's happened. I'll be back."

"You mean WE'LL find a way out and be back," Ruby protested. At that, Batman turned around and glared at her. Ruby started regretting speaking up, but pushed the feeling down as she stood her ground.

"With all due respect Miss Rose, despite your abilities, I doubt you've ever faced anyone like Joker head on before. Trust me; you DON'T want to do this." Batman of course knew this was a lie as Ruby HAD apparently faced Joker before, but he had to keep up the charade of not knowing her.

"Actually, I have," Ruby said somewhat confidently. "I have faced a crime lord with just as crazy a dress sense as Joker, a horde of thugs he borrowed from another local crime boss, a terrorist group of Faunus extremists, AND creatures of darkness and hatred that could probably scare anyone of these thugs senseless." She then gestured to the thugs scattered around them. "Plus, it's my duty as a Huntress to protect the innocent, be it from Creatures of Grimm or from people like Joker. It's what we heroes do. We find the bad guys, kick their butts and try to save as many people as we can." She then narrowed her silver eyes a bit. "I'm now as much a part of this as you are now. So WE are going to stop Joker together."

Batman stared at her for a second. For a while, he swore he saw the Red Rose Reaper from five years ago standing in front of him. However, before he could say anything, an annoyingly familiar voice piped in.

" **Wow! Great speech, Red,"** Joker said sarcastically, adding a slow clap to go with it. Ruby and Batman turned to a large monitor in the room and saw Joker's ugly mug staring up at them from a hallway. **"Though I gotta say, that hero speak gets a bit BOR-ING after a while."**

Ruby gritted her teeth and griped Crescent Rose tighter as Joker continued. **"Also, I wouldn't go around making promises neither of you can keep."** His eyes narrowed at the two of them and he spoke in a threatening tone. **"I'm in control of the Asylum now. And that means that nether of you two little do-gooders are going anywhere I don't want you to. Understand?"**

Batman spoke up. "If you think that we're just going to let you run…"

Ruby felt a happy feeling that Batman was now including her in this. Of course the moment was ruined when Joker started mocking again.

" **Blah, blah, blah. AGAIN with that hero talk, Bats. Ugh, you're as bad as Reddy, ya know that?"** He then leaned into the monitor with a wicked grin. **"Tell ya what? How 'bout we just play a game of 'Hide and Go Seek,' hmm? Come and catch me if you can. And Red, I really hope you're up to the challenge. It'll be just like old times from five years ago."**

The screen then went back to the spinning Arkham screen that it usually had. The duo then looked at the electric gate. The gate's electric bars suddenly fizzed out, leaving an opening to the world further into the mad house.

Ruby stared at it. For a second, she was starting to have second thoughts. What Joker said had once again confused and unnerved her. Now he had said something of more clarity. Five years. Apparently something had happened in this world five years ago made Joker (and seemingly other people) think that they knew her. And Ruby was sure that answers to her question lie beyond that opening. Answers she wasn't sure she'd get or want to even know.

However, her courage soon took over and she took a deep breath. No matter what, what she had told Batman was true. It was her job as a Huntress to help protect the innocent and she had to do this.

" **You do realize that this is probably a trap, right?"** Gordon asked incredulously.

"Of course it is. Once we go through, he'll activate it again, locking us in and keeping you or anyone from helping." Batman said in his dry tone. He then turned to Ruby. "Last chance, you know. If you want, you can stay with Gordon and Boles up there," he said gesturing to the booth. Batman figured she could use her scythe to get herself up there now that they were blocked off.

Ruby however shook her head. "No. I meant what I said. We're a team and we're in this together, Batman."

Batman was silent for a second before nodding in acceptance. "Very well. Let's go."

"Hold on a second," Ruby said. Batman then watched as she put the arm of the still unconscious doctor (who miraculously had avoided being hurt in the past melee) around her shoulders. Batman was impressed that even at this age she was able to lift someone of the doctor's weight with somewhat ease. Ruby then looked down at the murdered guard in sorrow. She then carried the doctor slowly to an empty cell. She then placed him down and closed the door as she left. As she turned, she saw Batman look at her oddly.

"What?" Ruby said shrugging. "Those tugs may be out for a while and so will he, but at least this way he'll be safer."

Batman just stared a second more, then shook his head. He then stated walking toward the doorway. He then paused and turned slightly.

"Well? You coming?" he asked.

Ruby nodded and followed behind him as they walked up the ramp. As soon as they went far enough in, the fizzing of the electric bar turning on hummed behind them.

 _This is it,_ Ruby thought grimly. _Guess all we can do now is keep moving forward. No matter what._

One thing was for certain though: Ruby Rose was in for one hell of a time in the serious house on this serious earth.

 **A/N: Note the little stuff I input near the end? Pretty clever, huh? ;-) Plus, the doctor thing? It just seemed like something Ruby would do. Also, I admit I was impressed the doctor stayed undamaged in the game (even if you stepped on him XD) and I never liked that they just left an innocent there in the middle of so many violent maniacs, unconscious or not. So that fixed that I think. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry it's taken this long. I made this one extra-long to make up for it.**

 **Now for some bad news (or good news depending). With my graduation approaching very soon and school work taking up quite a bit of time (one class in particular is a real pain), I will not be doing anymore updates this year probably. That being said, once I finish, I'll be searching for a job more befitting of my degree and might not really have a lot of time to write, especially with the fact I'm going to be writing other stories too. It all depends on how things go.**

 **However, know that I will not be giving up on this series. I have the sequels planned out somewhat actually. I hope to finish this story in 2020 and maybe take a hiatus for a bit to work on my other stuff. Also, if it DOES seem like I will be unable to continue the series because of stuff, the author CMgreatdragon97 offered to adopt the this fic and maybe even the rest of the series. If that happens, I will pass it on while sending the ideas I had for the sequel to be incorporated into them. Honestly, I am grateful to the 137 people who have favorited this and the 180 who have been waiting to get an update email on this and that you all have been able to put up with waiting this long. Thank you so figgin much, you guys.**

 **Wish me luck in all things ahead in life.**


End file.
